Yan Cigui.

New buds sprouted on the trees, and winter turned to spring in the capital.

Two days ago, Uncle Chengyi's Mansion received a letter from Duan Zhihuai, saying that he would arrive at the ferry in the suburbs of Beijing in the near future.

Someone from her mother's family came to discuss her granddaughter's marriage. Xiao Duan paid special attention to it and urged Lin Xun to go to the ferry to arrange an inn.

What a coincidence.

As soon as the boy ordered the meal, he heard that ships from the south of the Yangtze River had entered this section of the river and were queuing up to dock.

He was so happy that he asked people to go back to his house to report and went to the shore to wait.

At noon, Lin Xun and Chen arrived with Lin Yunding and Lin Yunfeng.

Duan Zhihuai, his parents, and Duan Zhiyu were resting in the inn, filling their stomachs with hot dishes and rice.

Salute and greetings from both sides.

Duan's family is scholarly, and Duan Zhihuai's family is not prosperous, but the family's magnanimity is there.

His facial features are gentle and kind, which makes people feel good.

Lin Xun was relieved as soon as he saw it.

It is born by heart.

Mrs. Chen was not worried at first. There were many rules in the Duan clan. She had heard the old lady say a lot. Some of them were small and insignificant. To her, it was a bit unhuman. But in such a family, unless a child was born, Bad embryo, otherwise it won't go anywhere.

Furthermore, Duan Zhihuai’s education lies here.

After Duan Zhihuai introduced each other, Lin Xun said: "My grandfather's relatives are coming to Beijing, and there are elders accompanying them. Originally, my eldest brother also wanted to come to welcome him, but he was on duty today and could not leave the Yamen at night. I made a toast to the old lady to apologize."

Mrs. Chen also smiled and asked: "Speaking of which, how come you haven't seen the old lady?"

Duan Zhihuai's grandfather also came.

He is a younger brother of the Xiao Duan clan. They are two or three years apart in age, and they used to have a good relationship.

The two sisters in the next room married one after another in Beijing. One died of illness early and the other followed her. Although they exchanged letters all year round, they never had the opportunity to visit their hometown in the south of the Yangtze River again.

In the past few decades, the people in the clan who came to Beijing to visit were all younger generations. They spoke a few words of hometown dialect, but they were never as good as those who recognized them when they were young.

Therefore, the old man will come along no matter what he says this time.

Taking a boat is easier than riding a carriage. While his body is still strong enough, he can take a look at the capital and his clan sister.

If nothing unexpected happens, this may be the last time they see each other, and it will also be the last time the clan sister sees a "recognized" relative.

"Grandpa is a little tired and takes a nap in the guest room." Duan Zhihuai said.

After the old man recovered, the group returned to the capital.

Sitting on the carriage, Mrs. Chen smiled and said to Duan Zhihuai's mother: "The princess and the Duke have been away from the capital for two months. They can't meet each other this time. But they said they wanted to go to Jiangnan. When the time comes, It also troubles the clan.”

"How can it be trouble? They are all members of our own family. To tell you the truth, the elders in the clan are looking forward to meeting their relatives. Some of the family members have taken root there when they went out to become officials, and some have married far away. Yes, we only know the situation through letters. The mountains are high and the roads are far away, and it is not easy to meet. How great it is to have the opportunity to go back to Jiangnan to see and talk about home affairs! This time, the elders who are familiar with your old lady are very envious when they know that our old man is coming to Beijing. If everyone had their own conditions and their bodies couldn’t bear it, they would all want to come.”

Chen felt soft-hearted after hearing this.

She could tell that this was not a show.

Sure enough, Princess Xin was right. It was very reliable to choose people from the Duan clan and Duan Zhihuai.

The only thing that makes her reluctant is to marry far away.

But these can be discussed. Duan Zhihuai will come to Beijing to study in the future, and maybe he will be an examiner. Who can say for sure whether it is far or near.

Maybe like Yun Jing, her husband will be retained as a capital official?

Speaking of which, the second sister-in-law has been suffering for so many years, and only Yunjing looks forward to it. She stays in Beijing and takes care of each other.

Ten days ago, Yun Jing was diagnosed with pregnancy, which made her second sister-in-law extremely excited.

"I was so excited to eat that I could eat half a bowl more!"

That's what the second sister-in-law said, making the old lady laugh.

When entering Beijing, the lanterns were lit.

The gate of Chengyi's Mansion is opened to welcome guests from afar.

The little Duan and the old lady held hands, with tears in their eyes and nothing to say.

The juniors persuaded them to take care of their health, and said that since they were staying for a short time, they could finally say everything on their minds before everything was stable.

At the reception banquet, several Jiangnan dishes were served.

Xiao Duan sighed with emotion: "I have already been accustomed to the taste of Beijing, but there are always times every year when I miss the taste of Jiangnan. I have also hired several Jiangnan cooks, and the food tastes the same, but there is always something missing..."

What’s missing is nostalgia.

Duan Zhihuai's mother was looking at Lin Yunfang, and she liked her more and more.

The little girl is generous and well-behaved. Her face turns red when she talks about things, which is really cute.

Thinking about it, this girl who was raised by an aunt who married in Beijing is not bad at all.

It is said that it is difficult to be a stepmother. When the family chose their own girl to come to the capital, they did not want anything to happen to the eldest son who had stayed behind, so they felt more at ease with their own family.

And this aunt did not disappoint anyone.

Her stepson, concubine, and parent-child, all of them are attentive and careful, and the whole family is harmonious and united. This answer fully reflects the character of the family and the character of the house.

There is no troublemaker.

This is the most important thing. No matter how small or small the family is, who would like to cause trouble?
Mrs. Chen whispered: "Yunfang has an innocent temperament. In the past two years, she was almost framed and slandered by jealous people. Fortunately, her sister protected her and she didn't let anyone plot against her. Now that she has grown a few years older, it looks like she is I am much smarter than before, and I don’t suffer from being bored and don’t know how to explain myself.”

Mrs. Duan's wife felt extremely distressed.

The Duan family came to Beijing not only to visit relatives and friends, but also to discuss marriage matters.

It's a mutually agreed upon matter, and it's a family matter, so it's not complicated to discuss.

Due to the long distance between the two places, the previous arrangements could only be settled in Beijing, and the only thing left was to wait for the wedding to be held in Jiangnan in the autumn.

Mrs. Chen took care of her nieces twice, and this time she was very experienced and experienced.

At the end, she said to Lin Yunfang: "Autumn is beautiful. The air is crisp and clear. We sailed all the way south. I heard that the scenery on both sides is very beautiful."

Lin Yunfang murmured: "What's better? Time is so short. Wouldn't I miss the birth of my little nephew?"

"I will get married in the autumn, spend the New Year there, and return to Beijing with my uncle in the spring to prepare for the exam with him," Mrs. Chen calculated clearly, "I have made an agreement with Chen Gui to leave a feng shui set in Lao Shi Alley for those who are good at it." You live here." The houses in Laoshi Lane are in very short supply, so there is no need to worry about renting them. There are still many people trying to buy them from Jingdong's family.

Naturally, they won't sell it, so the house seekers wanted to squeeze out others at a high price. They occupied the house where Enke's top three people lived, but the Jingdong family refused on the grounds that the rent would not increase randomly.

If the business is done in an orderly manner, there will be less criticism.

This year is another imperial examination year. Many houses were vacant years ago, just waiting for the government to arrange for candidates to live in them.

Soon after, when the imperial list was unveiled, there was another period of excitement.

When everything is over and Laoshi Lane is open to rentals again, I will leave one set behind, which will be painted and decorated, so that when the couple returns to Beijing next year, they will be able to live in it.

"Live in Lao Shi Lane?" Lin Yunfang asked curiously, "Aren't you afraid of others gossiping?"

"What are you afraid of?" Mrs. Chen said, "We believe in Feng Shui, and it's not like we don't pay the rent. Not only do we live in Lao Shi Lane, but I also have to go to the temple to pray more and ask for more. As an elder, I can't study for my uncle. Just praying to God and praying to Buddha can help, right?”

Lin Yunfang was stunned by what her mother said: "Yeah..."

The more Chen talked about it, the happier she became: "The princess's letter a few days ago said that she had set off for Shu. They said that the road to Shu is difficult and difficult to reach the sky. I don't know if I can come back in autumn to send you to Jiangnan. "

Lin Yunfang was delighted and said: "It's easy for the second sister to deliver the letter to us. We deliver the letter to her. It's like the blue sky. We don't know where they have gone. I'm afraid she doesn't even know what's going on in Beijing."

"That's okay," Ms. Chen said with a smile, "Didn't I say I would come back from the New Year party? It's almost time for Yunjing to give birth. When spring starts, the princess will go to Jiangnan to pick you up back to Beijing."

After all, it’s either delivery or pickup.

How good!

In Cining Palace, the Queen Mother was also talking about Lin Yunyan.

I've only been away for two months, and a lot of letters have been sent back. Just like I said before I left, I'll send them every now and then, and I've even numbered them to avoid any omissions when they arrive.

The Queen Mother followed Lin Yunyan's letter and "went with her".

Recently, her eyesight has not been as good as before, but the Empress Dowager has personally read Lin Yunyan's letters over and over again.

It read, "Every other part of Dingguo Temple has been renovated. Only the old site has been preserved according to the wishes of the Holy One. It has been exposed to wind and sun all year round, making it look more dilapidated. I heard from the abbot that it may completely collapse one day." The Empress Dowager sighed, her eyes moist.

He also wrote, "Many weeds sprouted from the dilapidated floor tiles, which are green and full of vitality. Have the mother, the late empress and others who died here that day also been reincarnated and have a new life?" The Empress Dowager sighed again. I can't help but hope that they will be rich and prosperous in the next life and have a smooth life.

Later, "My father once asked me, 'If a person dies, will his soul remain in the world?' He said that he thought there was, and that my mother would look at us, maybe under the osmanthus tree in Bao'an Garden. If I had If you want to tell your mother, just stand under the tree and tell her. I think it makes sense. If my mother has been reincarnated, she won't be able to hear what I said." The Queen Mother couldn't help but wipe her tears.

In the letter sent two days ago, perhaps Lin Yunyan also knew that the previous writing was too sad and would make the Empress Dowager sad, so she made up for it this time.

"Reincarnation is not a bad thing. Although my mother's life was short, she never did any harm to others and died to save others. She accumulated a lot of bad virtues. So many Bodhisattvas in the temple have seen it. I think my mother can cast a good one. Maybe one day she will come to me in my dream and tell me her whereabouts. Then I will tell you immediately and we will inquire about her quietly. "

Playful and heart-warming, the Empress Dowager caressed the letter and refused to put it down for a long time.

The latest letter said that they were heading to Shu.

"If I go by land, I won't go very fast. I want to try all the fun and delicious food along the way. On the way back, I want to take the waterway to experience Li Taibai's saying, 'A thousand miles of rivers and mountains are returned in a day.' I know that when Sister Aqi sees me, she must have a lot of things for me to bring back, some for me, some for you, and there are so many relatives and friends in Beijing. My little carriage can't hold so much, so I have to The boat is sailing."

The Empress Dowager smiled and said to Grandma Wang: "She is the only one who can plan, it's all about her heart!"

Grandma Wang also laughed: "My servant felt really warm after hearing this, so she clasped her fingers and waited for the princesses to bring gifts."

"Those fingers are not enough," the Empress Dowager laughed. "Get a booklet and write it down for them day by day. Then count how many days the Ai family has been waiting."

Grandma Wang naturally said "Okay".

The Empress Dowager was very talkative and could talk a lot with Lin Yunyan by her side. However, these days without someone around her, she felt uncomfortable all over.

But at the moment when the front and back palaces all have their own thoughts, it would not be appropriate to summon a few girls who are close to each other. That's why Lin Yunyan mentioned "Zhu Xiang" several times before setting off, so the Empress Dowager summoned her to speak.

"He is also a good boy," the Empress Dowager and Grandma Wang commented, "Now he has experienced all kinds of hardships."

It has been more than two years since Zhu Xiang talked about the past with a much calmer mood.

She was once dragged into the mire, stuck deep in it, and almost sank, but she finally climbed out, washed away the mud, and walked forward cleanly.

What the Empress Dowager saw in Zhu Xiang was the vitality that made her believe that she had made no mistake in leaving the child alive that day.

"I heard that Ren Shilang of the Ministry of War worked smoothly and happily with Miss Zhu's uncle when they were in Jingzhou. I admired him very much and wanted to promote him to be in charge," said Grandma Wang. "The Ministry of Personnel should be the right one."

The Empress Dowager commented: "Master Ren is very clever and has gained face everywhere."

A donation official, from being the county magistrate of the eighth rank in the local government to the head of the sixth rank of the six ministries in the capital, this step is not a big one.

Before Ren Min went to Jingzhou to dispatch military supplies, Xu Jian mentioned to him that Chengyuan County Cheng Yufu was the prime minister. At the beginning of the year, the Baoan Hou Mansion declined all relatives proposed on behalf of Yu Chengan. Recently, he has had more contacts with the Yu family. A discerning person. Everyone knows what it means.

When he was promoted to Fu, he went to both Fu Guogong's Mansion and Baoan Hou's Mansion.

"Of course," the Queen Mother laughed, "only if you are capable and do things well and steadily can you seize the opportunity!"

He is already a usable talent, and there is support from some princes and princes. Ren Min is not stupid, so why not do it?

"When the marriage is finalized between the two families, the Ai family will also add a gift." The Empress Dowager said.

The Zhu family has such an ending. Zhu Xiang only relies on his mother-in-law. The Baoanhou Mansion is naturally upright, but there will be people who stir up trouble outside.

The Empress Dowager's expression of attitude can make "people who are interested" restrain themselves a lot.

By May, Beijing was getting hotter.

After Lin Yunfang passed Xiaoding, the Duan family returned to Jiangnan to prepare for their wedding in the autumn.

Lin Yunjing's fetus was sitting very firmly, but she kept vomiting. Her appetite had been poor these past few days, which made Mrs. Huang very worried.

Although his mother-in-law was with him, Yu Pu was worried about his wife and worried that his mother-in-law would be overworked, so he proposed that the couple go back to the uncle's house to live for a while, so that all parties could feel relieved.

After two years of hard work in officialdom, Yu Pu has learned to face his "advantages" calmly.

He is the uncle of Uncle Chengyi's house, and it is precisely because of this that he can quickly establish himself in the capital. What he has to do is to live up to the support of his in-law family, put all his knowledge into play, harmonize with Yun Jing, and treat the elders of his in-law family Respect and filial piety.

Yu Pu has this ability, as well as this confidence and determination.

At the end of May, Yu Chengan and Zhu Xiang got married, and the Empress Dowager rewarded many good things to Yu's house.

Less than the father-in-law was ordered to declare.

First he said, "Old Yu's family got a good match, and everyone with the same surname has their faces shining brightly, which is a great honor." Then he said, "This is an engagement gift, and the Queen Mother will add makeup when the wedding is consummated." She was smiling and friendly. Qi, the words sounded very nice.

Yu Fugang had just been transferred and had not yet returned to Beijing to take up his post. Yu's uncle and aunt were so embarrassed that they were embarrassed by Yu's father-in-law, so it was Zhu Xiang who came to the rescue.

Eunuch Yu gave another letter to Zhu Xiang: "The princess sent it back, saying that Miss Zhu is about to get engaged, and I wish to congratulate you."

Zhu Xiang took it and smiled. (End of chapter)